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Newsletter Summer 2004

Well, the first anniversary of our opening has come and gone.

Yes, it’s already a year later and, on the one hand, it seems like such a short time ago that we were putting in final touches and getting the lodge ready to open. On the other hand, so much has happened in the last year that it seems that the lodge should have had many more than just one anniversary!
It has been an interesting and fun year, one that has seen the lodge get up and running beautifully and the staff joining together to work as a great team.
The lodge buildings themselves have settled into the bush, blending beautifully into the forest on the river bank and the game already treats the lodge as a part of the bush, moving unconcerned amongst the buildings.

Many, many thanks to everyone who has supported us over the last year! It is much appreciated, and we hope to continue to give our excellent service to all in the year to come!

Meanwhile, the languid pace of life in the heart of Madikwe continues, the heat of summer slowly giving way to the milder temperatures of autumn. The huge River bushwillows growing on the river banks are starting to lose their leaves, you see them swirling slowly downstream front of the suites, often collecting against the bulk of a hippo snoozing in the sun.
This year’s late rains have ended, cloudy skies replaced by crisp clear blues and light early morning mist. As the bush around the lodge slowly gets dryer, the grass is turning many shades of yellow and brown, the pools of water left by the rain are slowly vanishing. The elephants and other animals are coming down more and more frequently to drink at the waterhole overlooked by the lodge. The warthogs are once again becoming a permanent fixture, wallowing in their muddy corner of the ravine.

The wild dogs have spent much of their time close to the lodge recently. Guests were treated to fascinating sighting of them killing a waterbuck right next to the lookout deck a while ago. The dogs must have found life on the plains outside the lodge very easy, they have been packed with plenty of all sorts of wild dog menu items recently.
We did see some very interesting interaction between warthogs on the plains the other day, with the wild dogs as a catalyst to the sighting. The dogs were jogging across the plains, as usual on the lookout for a meal. They found and chased a female warthog and her youngster down a burrow on the plains. It was not that particular warthog’s home burrow but was being used by another family of warthogs. The resident family had escaped into their hole first and were not happy about the intruders, evident from the squealing and scuffling audible underground. Eventually, despite the danger waiting outside the hole, the resident warthogs forcefully ejected the mother and her youngster, the youngster being caught by the dogs immediately. The mother lay low at the entrance of the hole until the dogs lost interest and then headed off in the opposite direction.

Lacoste, the resident croc, has also been very much in evidence of late, lounging (occasionally disturbed by the hippos) on the bank in front of the Bushwillow suite.

The bush drying out slowly has meant that the elephants have been back into the lodge grounds looking for tasty morsels – it did not take them long to find the last of our aloes carefully planted a year ago. The aloes, planted right at the main entrance, have been left in peace and flourished during the summer, but were recently found, and completely devoured, by a group of young elephant bulls. Ironically, while this was going on, we were sitting not far away on the main deck, completely oblivious to their presence, eating our own (admittedly far more tasty) dinner. Had we know they were there, they would have been chased off with speed!
The cooler weather has also signalled the start of the impala rutting season, the nights are becoming filled with the snorting and grunting of the dominant rams as they advertise their supremacy to their rivals.
On the lion front, those of you who have met the Moselasela female will be happy to know that she has had her cubs. They are still hidden at the moment, she seems to have a den in the thick bush just east of the lodge. No one has seen the cubs yet, but we are keeping our eyes peeled for them!
Her previous litter, the Kwena pride, are still in the area and have been providing excellent game viewing on an almost daily basis.
The trees around the suites have become home to a family of bushbabies, they are seen every evening, out bouncing amongst the trees and rooftops looking for insects. They have become very relaxed about humans, allowing people to approach with a few feet to watch them. Elsewhere in the camp, a pair of Black-backed Puffbacks are frantically trying to keep a Jacobin Cuckoo chick well fed. The chick’s very noisy begging calls constantly urge his foster parents on to find more and more food. No doubt the “parents” are wondering why their offspring has grown to twice their size and does not look at all like either side of the family.
Our sleep-out hide, situated in the middle of our 1800ha exclusive traversing area, continues to be very popular, although with the nights getting chilly, the hot water bottles given to the guests for the winter morning drives are finding another use during the night!

Back at home in the lodge, we have been adopted by a young Banded mongoose. He is very friendly and a real character and clearly thinks that all the humans at the lodge are part of his extended pack. He is, naturally, the pack leader and demands constant attention in the form of food, belly rubs and chin scratches (preferably in that order) from his fellow pack members. He is usually to be found searching the lodge for snacks or cuddling up to a guest, but once the sun goes down, he heads for the office to sleep – on any available staff member’s lap.

Of course, now that Autumn is here, Dave and his team in the kitchen are changing the menu to match the changes in season, so you can expect even more exquisite offerings to be appearing on the menu!
More good news is that, as from 1st September, our rate will stay as was previously advertised, but will now include all house wines, local beers an local spirits and soft drinks and mineral waters.

So, a year on, and you still have still not come to stay with us? What are you waiting for? Book now!

Hope to see you soon
Garth